Ian sat next to Wanda on the ride back to the cave. He sat staring out the tinted windows. He kept thinking about if he should tell Wanda what he saw. He glanced over at her and smiled. Her head rested on his shoulder bobbing along with bumps in the road. He laid his hand on her knee and closed his eyes deciding to push the situation out of his mind.
Slowly he drifted of to sleep.
Ian opened his eyes and looked around. He was in a room that was a deep black. He heard a rustle in front of him. Suddenly there was a light and standing in it was Wanda. She had a long, elegant, black gown on that hugged at her curves and draped the ground. The strap that went across her throat and crossed down her shoulder had diamonds glittering in the light. Her hair was bundled around her angelic face that looked so young.
Ian struggled to stand. His back ached from the hard, rocky ground. He looked at Wanda and gawked. She looked as if she was floating. Her hair was lifted slightly off of her shoulder. Her face glowed with a light that shined from out of no where. Her hand glided outward as if reaching for him.
He took a step forward and extended his hand, but each step he took the further away she seemed. The ground began to shake and he looked to the ground back to Wanda. Her face was stricken with fear and a tear drizzled down her flushed cheeks. Right then there was a loud crack spilt the ground, and Wanda disappeared through the ground.
Ian leaped forward and screamed "Wanda!"
Ian felt a hand on his shoulder and opened his eyes. He was in the van and Wanda was touching his face "Ian … Ian time to wake up. We're here." She kissed his cheek and he brushed her face with the back of his hand. "kay' he said, his voice a little shaky from the dream. She held his shaky hand with steady, strong hands.
As they finished hauling in all loot they all sighed with the since of homecoming. The group finally dispersed for diner and Wanda and Ian walked to the table hand in hand. The new group was still getting plenty of questions and Burn got plenty of glares. As they sat over to the table burn came over to join them.
Burn sighed "doesn't look like you have a lively bunch here. They tend to stare. You'd think they'd be used to it by now. What, with having you around and all." He pointed at Wanda. Ian frowned. He was beginning to hate this burn guy more and more. He glared at burn and opened his mouth to say something when a pair of arms slammed around him and Wanda. He turned around to see Jamie.
Wanda sighed and hugged Jamie like she hadn't seen him in years. Ian could see a slight blush rise up his cheeks, and wondered were that had come from. Ian was so busy thinking that he missed Jamie saying something to Wanda which made her laugh. She handed him a small package and smiled "Happy birthday!" Jamie threw his hands around her neck and squealed with excitement.
As Jamie ripped the paper off of the box he almost screamed with joy. Inside was black pocket knife. In silver letters, his name Jamie was written on the handle. There was a beautiful symbol carved on the silver blade. His eyes almost bulged out of his head and a tear slid down his cheek. "This is the best birthday gift I have ever gotten." He hugged her one more and ran off to go show off his new loot.
Wanda smiled radiating joy to all around her. Ian wrapped his arm around her. "When did you get that?" Wanda giggled "Well … you aren't in the store with me." She looked him in the eye "I remembered his birthday was coming up and I wanted to get him something." She looked at the ground "I … I realized that he is no longer a child and is ready to be treated like a man. I could see it in his eyes. So as muck as I hate the knife, I knew it would make him happy and that's what birthdays are all about." Ian hugged her and passed a plate of steak to her "okay you did your thing now eat"
The force in his words was not meant as anger, but he had let a little out. She stared at him then took a small bite. Ian struggled to think as Burn went of into one of his many stories. He noticed Wanda and him comparing their many visits and realized they had more in common then he had thought. Jealousy raged through him and he pushed up from his chair and walked away.
Wanda followed after him and grabbed his hand "Come with me" He followed her in silence until they got to an empty hall. Then Wanda turned on him "what is wrong? You haven't been yourself since we stayed in that hotel. Please tell me what is wrong?" Her voice was soft but full of authority. He jerked his hand from hers feeling regret when pain shot across her face, but he pushed it aside and said what he had been dying to say. "You lied. You said you loved me but when one of your own comes …" he left the sentence in the air for her to use her imagination "Do you think I can't see it. You guys are perfect for each other. He's a slimy alien too! I see the way you can talk to him and not me."
Wanda was frozen with pain, but she reached her hand out to touch his shoulder, and he slapped her hand "don't touch me you … you monster!" before Wanda knew what she was doing, her hand whipped out and slapped Ian on the face. For a moment they both stood staring into each others eyes, then without another word she bolted down the hallway and into the darkness.
Ian stood staring at the spot Wanda had disappeared to. He slowly turned around and headed to his room. He decided that when Wanda came back that he would apologize. The hours pressed on and he began to drift to sleep. Silently, as if it hadn't happened there was a tap on the door. Ian opened his eyes and looked around. "Who's there?" Jamie opened the door and walked in. "It's just me. Can I sleep in here tonight?" Ian noticed the tear on Jamie's cheek and his eyes went wide. "Have you seen Wanda?" Jamie nodded his head. Relief filled Ian "Well where is she? I need to talk to her … I um … sort of said some things that I need to apologize for." Jamie sighed "Too late" Ian stood up "what?"
"It is too late. She already left. She said she was going to ride with Burn and his friends to town and she was going to ask to be sent to another planet. She said that it doesn't feel right being here and she wants to put us out of the danger of being found because of her."
Ian ran to the door. And fell on his knees. He couldn't let her leave him. He didn't mean what he had said. He was just mad, mad that Burn could share so much more with her. Slowly he stood back up and ran, ran to find his love. He wouldn't lose her. He loved her and would be with her no matter what. He ran through the endless, blackened tunnels. He would find her. If it was the last thing he did.